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DALLAS, Texas — Javier Giovanni Araujo, 34, of Austin, Texas, appeared this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography, announced John Parker, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Araujo faces a statutory penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release for the conspiracy count and a statutory penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release for the transportation count. Araujo has been in custody since his arrest in December 2016. A sentencing hearing has been set for January 10, 2018.

Co-defendant Garrett Alexander Mack, 29, of Dallas, Texas, also pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 29, 2017.

According to documents filed in the case, from September 26, 2016 through October 7, 2016, Araujo and Mack discussed sexually abusing children and exchanged photos and videos of child pornography. Araujo agreed with Mack to produce child pornography involving a three-year-old child to which Araujo had access. Araujo coerced the child into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and produced photos and videos of the conduct.

Araujo also coerced another minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct with him, which he recorded and transmitted the video to Mack.

The matter was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dallas Police Department, and the Austin Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie L. Hoxie is in charge of the prosecution.